Spanish Resources for Marine Technicians

Annapolis, MD – The American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC) announces its Marine Electrical Certification study guide and exam are now available in Spanish.

The marine industry is facing a growing workforce shortage of skilled technicians and the newly translated resources will ensure the inclusion of Spanish-speaking talent into ABYC’s certified technician program.

“South Florida has a very large contingent of experienced Spanish-speaking technicians and engineers which have become a vital labor source for our company and many other companies that need marine electrical and electronic technicians,” said Ward Eshleman, president of Wards Marine Electric. “Having the curriculum in Spanish will be an important tool for my company to use and will make it much easier for our current and future electricians to navigate through the ABYC’s certification program and pass the written test.”

Industry leaders have recognized the importance of supporting future bi-lingual employees and contributed to the development of the new materials, including Brunswick and MarineMax. Bayliner Boats in Mexico, Sasga Yachts in Spain, and Wards Marine Electric in South Florida also contributed by having Spanish-speaking technicians and engineers proofread and verify technical terminology had been translated as intended.

“Much of the techno-speak we take for granted created an unnecessary challenge for talented Hispanic students at exam time,” said Ed Sherman, ABYC vice president of education. “With the translation of our most popular certification, we hope that we’ve gone a long way toward providing the necessary resources and opportunities to eliminate barriers to success.”